Guy Pearce admits he was ‘scared of Kevin Spacey’ when they worked together on 1997’s LA Confidential as he’s hit by another sexual abuse claim

As Kevin Spacey faces another civil sexual abuse claim, his former co-star Guy Pearce still shudders at the memory of working with him.

The Brutalist actor, 57, became tearful as he recalled his interactions with Kevin, 65, on the set of the 1997 crime film LA Confidential.

Speaking on the Awards Chatter podcast, Guy revealed: ‘I was scared of Kevin, he’s quite aggressive, extremely charming [and] holds a room remarkably. I was young and susceptible.’

He added that he felt more comfortable around Kevin when his co-star and fellow Aussie Simon Baker (formerly Denny) was on set. 

‘He [Spacey] would focus on Denny because he’s much better looking than me,’ Guy explained. 

The thriller, based on the novel by James Ellroy, starred Guy and Russell Crowe in the lead roles, who were relatively unknown at the time, alongside Kevin.  

As Kevin Spacey faces another civil sexual abuse claim, his former co-star Guy Pearce (pictured) still shudders at the memory of working with him

The Brutalist actor, 57, became tearful as he recalled his interactions with Kevin, 65, on the set of the 1997 crime film LA Confidential (Kevin pictured in 2023)

In 2023, Spacey was cleared of sexual assault charges from his stint as artistic director at the Old Vic theatre, spanning from 2005 to 2013.

However last week he was hit with another sexual abuse claim, court records show – 18 months after he was cleared of a series of criminal charges.

Ruari Cannon is suing Kevin at the High Court, as well as two organisations connected to the Old Vic Theatre in London.

Dushal Mehta, of law firm Fieldfisher, confirmed that he had issued a claim on behalf of Mr Cannon, and also said that he had waived his anonymity in the claim.

No details of the allegations involved are currently available.

Kevin was previously acquitted in criminal proceedings of several sexual offences alleged by four men between 2001 and 2013.

One of the men, who cannot be identified, has also sued Mr Spacey over his claims he was sexually assaulted by the actor and suffered ‘psychiatric damage’, which the actor denies.

The actor has denied all allegations of inappropriate behaviour and criminal wrongdoing.

Speaking on the Awards Chatter podcast, Guy revealed: ‘I was scared of Kevin, he’s quite aggressive, extremely charming [and] holds a room remarkably. I was young and susceptible’ (Kevin, Russell Crowe and Guy in L.A. Confidential)

Last week Kevin was hit with another sexual abuse claim, court records show – 18 months after he was cleared of a series of criminal charges (pictured outside Southwark Crown Court, London in 2023)

In an interview with former GB News presenter Dan Wootton last year, he said: ‘I take full responsibility for my past behaviour and my actions, but I cannot and will not take responsibility or apologise to anyone who’s made up stuff about me or exaggerated stories about me.’

Kevin, a two-time Oscar winner, is known for the US adaptation of House Of Cards along with American Beauty.

His Academy Awards were for best supporting actor for The Usual Suspects in 1996 and best actor in 2000 for American Beauty, which also secured him a Bafta for leading actor.

Last April, the actor appeared to dismiss claims of inappropriate behaviour in Channel 4’s documentary as he praised the men in the show for their ‘great acting’.

Channel 4’s two-part series came nine months after Kevin was cleared of nine sexual assault charges and looked at fresh claims against him made by several men, ‘almost all of whom have never spoken before’.

It is said to take a ‘forensic look at a man who was once one of the most admired and respected actors in the world’.